Being outdoors during the summer months is especially difficult for Niccole Fries. For several years, she's suffered from allergies to grass and pollen, making her feel sick and lethargic.

"It feels like I can't breathe, because my nose is completely clogged and I have post nasal drip down my throat, so I'm coughing, and then my eyes are really red and they itch," Fries said.

She sometimes uses over-the-counter allergy medications that temporarily relieve her symptoms, but Mercy Medical Center internist Dr. Timothy Doyle said she is a good candidate for a new FDA-approved allergy medication that he said is the first of its kind.

It's called Oralair -- a once-a-day tablet that dissolves under the tongue for patients with grass pollen allergies.

"It's actually made from an allergen extract of several different grass pollens and over time, you become less sensitive to the grass pollen and therefore you experience less allergy symptoms," Doyle said.

And although Oralair is available now, Doyle said patients like Fries must wait and start the medication in late fall -- four months before the grass pollen season begins -- for it to be effective.

"So what I've told my patients, cause believe me, I have a growing list of interested patients, is to try to talk to me around Thanksgiving when the holidays come up, mention it to me and we'll get you started. The first dose needs to be administered in the office, and then subsequent doses can be taken at home," Doyle said.

Doyle said the first dose of Oralair is given in the doctor's office to make sure there are no side effects. He also said many insurance companies do cover Oralair.

20% OF THOSE SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED A ASEXT. THE FDA SAYS 30 MILLION AMERICANS ARE SENSITIVE TO GRASS POLLEN. IF YOU ARE ONE, YOU KNOW HOW MISERABLE YOUR ALLERGY SYMPTOMS CAN BE. THE FDA APPROVES A DIFFERENT KIND OF DRUG THAT SHOWS PROMISE FROM RELIEF OF GRASS POLLEN ALLERGIES. BEING OUTDOORS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR NICCOLE FRIES. SHE SUFFERED FROM ALLERGIES, MAKING HER SICK AND LETHARGIC. IT FEELS LIKE I CANNOT BREATHE BECAUSE MY NOSE IS COMPLETELY CLOGGED AND I HAVE POSTNASAL DRIP DOWN MY THROAT SO I AM COUGHING AND MY EYES ARE REALLY RED AND THEY ITCH. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? IT KIND OF HURTS REALLY BAD. DOESN'T FEEL TIGHT? IT -- DOES IT FEEL TIGHT? HARD TO CATCH HER BREATH? THE COAL SOMETIMES USES OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF, BUT NICOLE IS A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR A NEW FDA APPROVED ALLERGY MEDICATION THAT IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND. IT IS CALLED ORALAIR, A ONCE A DAY TABLET THAT GOES UNDER THE TONGUE FOR PEOPLE WITH GRASS ALL IS IN -- POLLEN ALLERGY. IS MADE FROM AN EXTRACT AND OVER TIME YOU BECOME LESS SENSITIVE TO THE GRASS POLLEN AND THEREFORE YOU EXPERIENCE LESS ALLERGY SYMPTOMS. THOUGH IT IS AVAILABLE NOW, DR. DOYLE SAYS PATIENTS LIKE NICOLE MUST WAIT AND START THE MEDICATION IN LATE FALL, FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THE GRASS POLLEN SEASON BEGINS, FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE. I HAVE A GROWING LIST OF INTERESTED PATIENTS, AND WHAT I TELL THEM IS TO TALK TO ME AROUND THANKS GIVING. MENTIONED TO ME AND WE WILL GET YOU STARTED. THE FIRST DOSE IS ADMINISTERED IN THE OFFICE AND SUBSEQUENT DOSES ARE TAKEN AT HOME. WHO WOULD NOT LIKE A PILL INSTEAD OF A SHOT? THE FIRST DOSE OF ORALAIR IS